Madras HC asks cops to investigate missing minor girl case

Chennai: A 25-year-old married man, who fell in love with a minor girl and married her for the second time in Vellore district, got into trouble with Madras high court directing the police to investigate the entire episode of the matter including his antecedents and act in accordance with law.

A division bench comprising Justices S. Nagamuthu and Anita Sumanth gave the directive while passing orders on a habeas corpus petition filed by M. Sankar, which sought to produce his 16-year-old daughter, studying XI standard in a government school in Nemilicherry, before the court and set her at liberty.

According to petitioner, her daughter was found missing from February 12, 2017 onwards. He filed a complaint alleging that one A. Bharati and his wife had kidnapped her and the police registered a case. Since, his daughter was not secured by the police, he filed the present petition.

The bench said when the petition came up for hearing on March 27, the girl, who was produced before the court said that Bharati had fallen in love with her and she also reciprocated. He took her with him and married her on February 12 in a temple and kept her in a house as his wife.

“From the narration of the facts made by the detenue, it is crystal clear that Bharati has committed offences against the detenue under the Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences Act also,” the bench added.

The police submitted that six persons have been remanded to custody in connection with this case. They also informed the court that the case would be appropriately altered under the Pocso Act also.

The bench directed the police to investigate the entire episode of the matter and act in accordance with law. “In the meanwhile, we further direct the police to produce the girl before the Special Court under the Pocso Act at Vellore and the Special court shall pass appropriate orders about the custody of the minor girl after considering the wishes of the girl and her parents,” the bench added.